Rampant Bayern Munich were confirmed as German champions for the 31st time on Saturday and extended their record run of consecutive Bundesliga titles to nine.
RB Leipzig’s 3-2 defeat at Borussia Dortmund handed the title to Bayern Munich, who celebrated in the later game with an emphatic 6-0 triumph at home to Borussia Moenchengladbach.
Robert Lewandowski scored a hat-trick to move onto 39 goals for the season from just 27 appearances, one behind Gerd Mueller’s Bundesliga record with two games left to play.
Bayern Munich coach Hansi Flick, leaving at the end of the campaign after winning seven trophies, later said: “The coaching staff are so proud to have accompanied this team for two years.
“It has been a pleasure. I really, really enjoy working with the team. We have a team with enormous quality.”
Borussia Dortmund’s Jadon Sancho scored twice, including a late winner which not only sealed the title for rivals Bayern Munich but also boosted his side’s UEFA Champions League hopes.
They moved up to fourth —- two points ahead of Eintracht Frankfurt who host Mainz on Sunday.
Third-placed Wolfsburg look well set to achieve their European dream after a 3-0 win over Union Berlin.
Werder Bremen, who had lost seven straight times in the league, drew 0-0 with sixth-placed Bayer Leverkusen and Hoffenheim beat relegated Schalke 04 4-2 having been 2-0 down.
Second-bottom Cologne welcome Freiburg on Sunday when fellow relegation candidates Hertha Berlin and Arminia Bielefeld also meet.
VfB Stuttgart beat struggling Augsburg 2-1 on Friday.
A well-worked move put Borussia Dortmund ahead early with Thorgan Hazard’s flick releasing Marco Reus who finished with aplomb.
Borussia Dortmund, without the injured Erling Haaland, thought they should have had a penalty kick for Kevin Kampl’s handball just before the break but appeals were waved away.
Sancho then made it 2-0 early in the second period when he fired home amid lax RB Leipzig defending.
Lukas Klostermann headed in a corner-kick to reduce the deficit and out of nowhere it was suddenly 2-2 on 77 minutes through RB Leipzig’s Dani Olmo.
But Sancho was on fire and won it for Borussia Dortmund after another superb move on 87 minutes.
“In the second half we played well,” Klostermann said. “We have to lift our heads up quickly. The next game is very important.”
RB Leipzig coach Julian Nagelsmann leaves for Bayern Munich at the end of the season, but the 33-year-old can still sign off from RB Leipzig with some glory.
This will be when his current side meet Borussia Dortmund again in the German Cup final on Thursday.
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“Congratulations (to Bayern) on a deserved title,” Nagelsmann said while grinning.
It is the second Bundesliga triumph for Flick who took over during last season but is departing amid disagreements with sporting director Hasan Salihamidzic.
There is also the speculation linking him to the Germany job which will be vacant after Euro 2020.
All but one of Bayern Munich’s national titles have come in the Bundesliga era from 1963-1964.
Their current streak started with the league, German Cup and Champions League treble in 2013, a feat repeated under Flick in 2020.
Their dominant decade also included further German Cups in 2014, 2016 and 2019, and a handful of minor trophies.
Gladbach were lambs to the slaughter and Lewandowski opened the scoring after two minutes.
Thomas Mueller’s deflected effort followed before an acrobatic finish gave Lewandowski his 200th Bundesliga goal for Bayern Munich from Mueller’s 17th assist of the league campaign.
Kingsley Coman rattled in a fourth just before the break.
Lewandowski converted a penalty kick midway through the second half to leave Mueller’s record of 40 goals very much in his sights.
A late red card for Tanguy Nianzou for a professional foul was the only blemish for Bayern Munich, with Leroy Sane then making it 6-0.(dpa/NAN)
